The invention relates to multipage document binding and to single sheet document lamination in a common machine.
In the prior art, both of those technologies are known separately. Thus, separate machines have been required to accomplish both functions sequentially or contemporaneously. The disadvantages of separate machines both physically and economically are obvious. These disadvantages are addressed by the unique structure of the invention as described hereinafter.
Typical of prior art binding machines is that of U.S. Pat. No. 4,367,116. In that disclosure a sheaf of paper to be edge-bound is inserted between guides vertically (on edge). The guide comprises two panels, one movable to hold the sheaf of papers in compression. The hot plate which sets the adhesive material is essentially horizontal in that reference. This device is relatively slow in operation because of the mechanical adjustment required. However, it does define the basic prior art of edge binding of a sheaf of papers.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,818,168 discloses another form for the basic binding device with converging guides which narrow at a lower apex to compress the multi-page document at the spine during the thermal binding operation.
Separate laminating machines are extant in the prior art. Basically these machines rely on heating of a document sandwiched between sheets of a thermoplastic material--polyethelene, for example. Temperatures on the order of 300 degrees F. produce enough softening of the thermoplastic to produce fusion.
The manner in which the invention advances the state of this art will be understood as this description proceeds.